Ron Paul Takes Swipes at Rivals on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’

In a startling break with tradition, Ron Paul took a few quick jabs at his Republican rivals on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Friday. Asked his opinion of Michele Bachmann, who Paul had clashed with earlier in the week over the question of a nuclear Iran, Paul said Bachmann “hates Muslims” and “wants to go get them.”

Leno asked Paul his opinion of Rick Santorum, asking whether he talked about anything other than gay people. “Gay people and Muslims,” Paul quipped.

He said Romney was a nice guy who maybe should stay in Massachusetts and that Jon Huntsman is “thoughtful.”

Up to this point, Paul has kept his opinions mostly to himself. His comments have caused quite a stir. “Of course I don’t hate Muslims,” Bachmann told ABC News adding “that’s an absolutely outrageous statement.”

Bachmann told moderators in last week’s Iowa debate that Paul’s positions on Iran were ‘dangerous.’ Paul had warned of the dangers of an American overreaction to the supposed threat of a nuclear bomb being developed in Iran.